Small stores loom large in High Point recruiting
Larry Thomas, Business editor -- Furniture Today, November 2, 2009
It's no secret the High Point market is still having trouble attracting large numbers of buyers from small and medium-sized stores, but Market Authority President Brian Casey has pledged to continue marketing efforts to draw such retailers to future shows.
He realizes the industry-wide sales slump has reduced the potential pool of attendees, but said that makes it even more important to convey the significance of coming to High Point and making sure these buyers — the so-called “Mom and Pops” of the industry — have a good experience while they're here.
Casey told the Market Authority board his staff will target independent retailers through more extensive use of social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, and through meetings with various organizations of sales representatives. He correctly surmised that sales reps often provide the key impetus for dealers to come to High Point.
“It's critical for us to communicate with (sales reps) about the strength of this market and the importance of coming here,” he said. “And we hope they will take that message to their customers.”
Casey said he spoke to two groups of reps during sales wrap-up meetings at the end of the October market, and said he hopes to make similar presentations in the future.
“In a lot of ways, the independent retailer has become king again,” added Market Authority Chairman Kevin O'Connor.
That statement, in a nutshell, is the message the market must convey.
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Did you happen to get a ride in a sleek 2010 Buick LaCrosse during market? If Casey had his way, some lucky attendee would have been driving one home, not just taking a shuttle ride.
It seems that when Buick contacted the Market Authority about working out a joint promotional effort, Casey's first thought was to give away one of the luxury sedans in a drawing. That would have been a crowd pleaser!
However, the realities of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression quickly intervened.
“They said they were owned by the government, and the government doesn't like for us to do that,” Casey said.
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While the Market Authority board has shown no inclination to change the Saturday start of future markets, it's obvious the impact of the Saturday-to-Thursday schedule, which was implemented in April, is still a bit of a mystery.
In both April and October, the Saturday opening day was relatively quiet, and foot traffic seemed to steadily increase until it peaked on Tuesday. Or was it Monday?
“We're still trying to figure out what our peak days are,” said board member Joanna Easter, the chief operating officer of Showplace. “It's kind of a moving target.”
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High Point Market reports point to ‘solid' show
Oct 22, 2009
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